Tile



H. JANSEN Oct. 12, 1937.

TILE

Filed July 2, 1956 Wm 2 h Patented Oct. 12, 1937 TILE Henry Jansen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Janline Tile Company, Inc .,-Ohicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application. July 2, i936, Serial No., 88,605

11 Claims.

1 Thisinvention relates to building devices, and

particularly to animproved tile or block suitable for building construction, and similar in some respects tothe character of tile shown in Patent Number 2,000,565 issued to me May 7, 1935, and to which other construction materials and/or elementsmay be readily, securely and economically connected or anchored.

One object of the invention is to provide a block of the kind described that is simple, efficient, durable, economical to manufacture, fireproof and suitable for construction purposes for the building of walls, partitions, ceilings, floors orthe like. i J

Another object of the invention is to provide a tile blockof the kind described, which is so constructed that without the drilling of holes in the tile and the use of toggle bolts, expansion bolts, lag screws and thelike, various other ele- 20 ments such as fixtures, base boards, moldings, trim, wall board and the like-may be readily and easily secured and anchored thereto. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a tile in which said materials or elements such as fixtures or the like may be readily and firmly secured in place by means of nails or like secur-- ing means driven therethrough and into the tile with a hammer or other suitable implement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of tile construction intended to facilitate the attaching of other construction materials or elements thereto, and wherein possible damage in han'dlingof the tile is reduced to aminimum and the danger of splitting or frac- 35, turing the tile, by insertion of the attaching means therein, is obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to improve devices of the character described in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly 10 pointed out in the appended claims.

Two embodiments of the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawing, in which:

r Fig. l is a perspective view of several tiles conl5 structed in accordance with the present invention and arranged in assembled relation to each other;

, Fig. 2 is an enlarged topend view of one of the tiles illustrating more in detail certain novel features characterizing the present invention; and

I Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a slightly modified form of tile construction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a'plurality of my improved tile blocks, each indicated as a Whole by the numeral 5, assembled in a fragment of wall construction and having other construction elements such as strips 6 formed of wood or the like attached 0 thereto.

The respective blocks 5are shown, in the present instance, asof hollow tile construction having. oppositely disposed side walls I and 8, and end walls 9 and ll, the said walls being illustrated more clearly in Fig. 2, wherein the walls I, 8, 9 and H are shown as provided on their outer surfaces with longitudinally extending undercut grooves l2 by which plaster, mortar or the like may be keyed thereto, either for securing the blocks together or for retaining plaster or other finishing coats on the surface of the blocks, the blocks 5 being shown also as provided with transversely extending spaced reinforcing webs I3 for integrally connecting the side walls 1 and 8 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Ordinarily, the tile blocks of the kind to which the present invention relates are more or less hard, porous and brittle when burned and ready for use, and it is customary, in attaching other devices or construction elements thereto, to either drill holes through or into the tile and to use toggle bolts or similar fastening means,

or to drive plugs of wood or other material into the holes, or to arrange wooden or similar blocks between the tiles to which the other devices or constructionelements are to besecured by means of nails, screws or the like. Obviously, such means of attaching the materials or construction elements to walls, ceilings or the like are not only expensive but have other disadvantages in that the tile is frequently cracked or fractured during the attaching process, and where wooden plugs or blocks are used, they frequently shrink and become loose so that the other elements are only loosely and insecurely connected to the tile and may be easily removed therefrom.

My improved construction is intended to overcome these disadvantages and objections to the form of constructions previously used, and in the disclosure of the present invention, shown in Fig. 2, the side walls I and 8 are provided with enlarged portions l4 extending inwardly from the respective walls and adjacent one end of the webs l3, the said enlarged portions being provided with elongated arcuate recesses or grooves l5 extending inwardly from the adjacent face of the tile and adapted to receive securing means shown, in the present instance, as a bendable nail [B for securing the strip 6 to the block. The side walls of the recess l5 are shown, in the present instance, as of zigzag form and the width of the recess as of substantially uniform dimension, thereby providing, preferably, an arcuate zigzag passage for the nail I6 as it is inserted in the block, and providing a construction whereby a bendable nail of substantially equal or slightly less diameter than the width of the recess will engage the wall surfaces thereof at spaced intervals in staggered relation depth-wise of the recess and at opposite sides thereof for providing an efficient holding engagement of the nail within the recess, particularly when a nail of slightly resilient material is employed.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the recesses [5 at one side of the block terminate a substantial distance short of the opposite side thereof and that the enlarged portions I4 of the sides 7 and 8 are extended to occupy positions on" the opposite sides of the webs I3 as indicated at W to provide ample material adjacent the bottom of the recess i5 to adequately resist breaking apart of the tile in handling and to prevent fracturing the blocki'when the nail is inserted.

The structure illustrated in Fig. 3 is "substantially like that shown in Fig. 2, except that the recess 15a is positioned farther to one side of the web 13a, and the enlargement Mot of the wall portion 8a extends only'on one side of the web, theremoval of the recess l5a farther away from the web providing sufficient material 'to adequately resistbreaking or fracturing of the material by the insertion of the nail, or in handling, as the web lSa is full strength throughout its length.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a novel construction in a tile block of the character described, whereby other construction materials or elements may be readily and securely attaohed thereto, and wherein ample means are provided to resist breaking or fracturing the material of the block when handling or such other elements are being secured thereto.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described, as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tile block of the class described adapted as an anchorage for securing means, portions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate cross-section adapted to receive said securing means, said recess having a transverse cross-sectional dimension substantlally equal to the diameter of said securing means.

2. A tile block of the class described, portions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate zigzag cross-section adapted to receive a bendable securing element, said recess having a transverse crosssectional dimension slightly greater than the diameter of said securing means.

3. A tile block of the class described, portions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate zigzag cross-section adapted to receive a bendable securing nail, said recess having a transverse cross-sectional dimension slightly greater than the diameter of said securing nail.

4. A tile block of the class described, portions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate zigzag cross-section, said recess having a transverse cross-sectional width of substantially uniform dimension and being adapted to. receive a bendable securing nail of a "tions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate cross-section, the walls of said recess having substantially parallel zigzag surfaces adapted to be engaged at spaced intervals depth-wise of the recess and at opposite sides thereof by a bendable securing nail adapted to be received by the recess.

'7. A tile block of the class described, portions of said block forming the walls-of an elongated recess of arcuate cross-section, the walls of said recess having substantially parallel zigzag surfaces adapted to be engaged at spaced intervals in staggered relation depth-wise of the recess and at opposite sides thereof by a bendable securing nail adapted to be received by the recess.

'8. A tile block of the class described, portions of said block forming the walls of an elongated recess of arcuate cross-section, the walls of said recess being substantially uniformly spaced from each other and having zigzag surfaces adapted to be engaged at spaced intervals in staggered relation depth-wise of the recess and at opposite sides thereof by a bendable securing nail of slightly less diameter than the width of the recess and adapted to be received thereby.

9. A hollow tile block of the class described having side wall portions and a web connecting said wall portions of the block, an enlargement of one of said side portions extending inwardly therefrom, portions of said enlargement forming the walls of an elongatedrecess of arcuate'zigzag cross-section extending to an adjacent outer face of saidblock, said recess being adapted to receive a bendable nail for securing a construction element to said block.

10. A hollow tile block of the class described having oppositely disposed side wall portions and a web connecting said opposite wall portions of the block, an enlargement of one of said side portions extending inwardly therefrom adjacent one end of said web, portions ofv said enlargement forming an elongated recess of-arcuate' zigzag cross-section extending outwardly to an adjacent outer face of said block, said recess being adapted to receive 'a bendable nail for securing a construction element to said block.

11. A hollow tile block of the class described having oppositely disposed side wall portions and a 'web connecting said opposite wall portions of the block, an enlargement of one of said side portions extending inwardly therefrom adja-- cent one end of said web and at opposite sides thereof, portions of said enlargement forming an elongated recess of arcuate zigzag cross-section and substantially uniform transverse width extending outwardly to an adjacent outer face to said block, said recess being adapted to receive a bendable nail of slightly less diameter than the width of said recess for securing a construction element to said block.

HENRY JANSEN. 

